Part two

We cannot expect someone to follow us, or to help us in any meaningful way, without first establishing some kind of communication with them. But in order to establish communication, we must have something to offer. We must be in a place that offers us the means to associate with those we are meant to associate with. This is accomplished, once again, not by a conscious act, but by allowing the mind of the Sage, the superior man, or the Christ within to act within us and influence us, Then it can be said, again quoting from hexagram forty five line two, “There are secret forces at work, leading together those who belong together.” When we come into contact with those with whom we have an inner affinity, there is an inner communication established that goes beyond the rational ability to explain. When this happens, and if we are attuned to our natural character, it will happen, we come together for mutual goals, and we achieve mutual experiences, which is the basis for hexagram eight. Hexagram sixty one gives us the internal motivation for the “holding together” in hexagram eight. In hexagram eight, the basis for unity is mutual experiences. By going through mutual experiences people bond together. For some these may be emotional experiences, for others they may be going through trials and difficulties together, or mutually working on difficult tasks. These things apply in hexagram sixty one too, but it goes a little further, for when unity is based on mutual experiences once there is a breakup or a diffusion of the circumstances that brought them together the unity slowly begins to disintegrate, and new groups are formed. In hexagram sixty one the unity requires a little deeper basis. In hexagram sixty one the unity is more involved with a karmic or fateful attraction based on an inner recognition of belonging together. If this is the case, the holding together is likely to be much stronger. External circumstances will not be so likely to break the group apart. In the commentary on hexagram sixty one, the analogy is used of a pack of thieves who hold together for a common purpose. But the purpose is the only thing that holds them together. Once the job is done the group falls apart, they have come together for selfish purposes. This is true any time there are secret designs, for the motives are not pure. Often we might hold together with others for the ;purpose of accomplishing a certain task, but we don’t necessarily tell the others what the real purpose is. In this way we are just using each other. This is inimical to the concept of “inner truth.” When natural law brings people together it is because of a deep inner bond that does not require a personal motive.

The first line discusses this even further. It says, “If there are secret designs, it is disquieting.” The commentary tells us that this would deprive this person of their inner independence. The nature of “inner truth” is that we come together as a group, but only because those who come together belong together. We still maintain inner independence. Nor do we rely on this support of others. We must rely ultimately upon ourselves and our inner wisdom. That does not mean we do not accept the support and help of others. The acceptance of support and help comes naturally and is not tied in with a desperate need for their compliance with us.

We will get to the third point next.